The Good Host: Formation of Discrete One-Dimensional Fullerene “Channels” in Well-Ordered Poly(2,5-bis(3-alkylthiophen-2-yl)thieno[3,2-b]thiophene) Oligomers

Publikation: Beitrag in FachzeitschriftForschungsartikelBeigetragenBegutachtung

Beitragende

  • Lei Zhang - , University of Massachusetts (Autor:in)
  • Feng Liu - , University of Massachusetts (Autor:in)
  • Ying Diao - , Stanford University (Autor:in)
  • Hilary S. Marsh - , University of Colorado Boulder (Autor:in)
  • Nicholas S. Colella - , University of Massachusetts (Autor:in)
  • Arthi Jayaraman - , University of Delaware (Autor:in)
  • Thomas P. Russell - , University of Massachusetts (Autor:in)
  • Stefan C.B. Mannsfeld - , Professur für Organische Bauelemente (cfaed) (Autor:in)
  • Alejandro L. Briseno - , University of Massachusetts (Autor:in)

Abstract

Due to the unique crystallinity of poly(2,5-bis(3-alkylthiophen-2-yl)thieno[3,2-b]thiophene) (PBTTT), it is an excellent model polymer to study the structure-property relationship in organic devices, especially those relying on junctions of electron- and hole-transporting materials. Here, we report the synthesis and characterization of a series of monodisperse PBTTT oligothiophenes (n = 1-5) and systematically examine the evolution of crystalline behavior, morphology, and interaction with [6,6]-phenyl C61-butyric acid methyl ester (PCBM) as the molecular conjugation length increases. We discovered that fullerene intercalation occurs when there is enough free volume between the side chains to accommodate the fullerene molecule. The intercalation of PCBM is observed beyond BTTT-2 and longer oligomers, likely similar to that of PBTTT. Interestingly, both experiments and molecular simulations show that PCBM intercalation also appears to "catalyze" a more efficient packing of the BTTT-2 dimers. Crystal structure analysis revealed that the straight BTTT-2 side chains form one-dimensional (1D) channels that could perfectly host PCBM but, in the pure material, accommodate the interdigitated side chains from adjacent layers. In the blend with PCBM, these channels are maintained and enable the cocrystallization and intercalation of PCBM. This is the first time the actual sublattice cell of PCBM has been determined from the X-ray data, and demonstration the utility of the oligomers as model systems for their polymer counterparts. Among the organic photovoltaic devices (OPVs) made from the BTTT oligomers and [6,6]-phenyl C71-butyric acid methyl ester (PC71BM) blends, the ones containing the BTTT-2 dimer exhibit the highest performance.

Details

OriginalspracheEnglisch
Seiten (von - bis)18120-18130
Seitenumfang11
FachzeitschriftJournal of the American Chemical Society
Jahrgang136
Ausgabenummer52
PublikationsstatusVeröffentlicht - 25 Nov. 2014
Peer-Review-StatusJa